Hometown Clinton - Fall 2017

The Tree
Man
Camille Anding
That’s how a lot of the locals in Clinton know Jehu Brabham,
and in a unique way, it’s descriptive of who he is. You might
compare him to a strong, deeply rooted tree with multiple
branches.
It was after much prayer and because his parents had taught
him to be involved in the place where he lived that convinced Jehu
to run for alderman-at-large on the Clinton City Council in 1993.
It was while he was in that office that he became known as “The
Tree Man,” and thus began the “branches” of this innovative and
community-loving alderman.
One of the main goals that he wanted to see fulfilled as a public
servant was the beautification of Clinton. With no funding in the
budget to purchase trees for the entrances to the city, Jehu wrote
grants to secure funding.
The city was given a matching grant of thirty thousand dollars,
but that meant the city would have to add their own thirty
thousand amount. Jehu didn’t let that massive challenge slow
his enthusiasm to help beautify Clinton. He convinced a nursery
to draw up landscape plans and donate their time and expertise.
Then he calculated that cost and began his matching tab.
The fire department agreed to use an old fire truck to water
the young plants and trees in order to keep them alive in the
Mississippi summers. That amount, given as a donation, was
figured and added to the tab. Those figures along with some local
contributors made up the thirty thousand matching fund and
paid for the thousand-plus trees that Jehu planted and helped
plant around the city.
“It’s been my goal to develop a unique, distinctive appearance
for our community,” Jehu says. When the crepe myrtles begin
blooming throughout the city, the tree man smiles, and all
Clinton’s citizens and visitors enjoy Jehu’s dedicated work.
Another branch on his tree would be the many votes he’s
made in the city government in helping to make Clinton an
outstanding city for the present and the future. Jehu’s investment
of twenty-four years has been valuable in multiple ways.
He’s served with integrity and never felt pressured when
he voted alone on an issue before the council. “If it’s not right
or good for the city, I’ve never voted for it,” he says with firm
conviction. When his phone rang about questions concerning
requests for help with issues such as overflowing ditches, Jehu
said that he would always ask himself if it would be legal to use
public funds for the fix. If not, the answer was no.
Jehu smiled with fond recollections of friendships through
his office and said, “I’ve never had a harsh word with any
mayor, board member, official, or citizen.” While building those
friendships, he worked and voted to see the multi-million
dollar Clinton Parkway completed along with upgrades in the
infrastructure of the city.
Jehu Brabham
18 • Aug/Sept/Oct 2017
Hometown Clinton • 19